By Benjamin Clarke | Published on 8th March 2022

Designing a retro bathroom

Many people are turning away from the idea that a modern bathroom must be minimalist with sleek, clean lines. Instead, there is a large movement who want to reach back into the past and update their bathrooms in a way that evokes memories of days gone by.

Exactly what your idea of retro actually is will depend on your personal preference for certain time periods you feel inspired by. For example, an Art Deco-themed bathroom will feel quite different in appearance to a bathroom inspired by the Victorians, yet many of the methods used to achieve a look from the past will often be similar.

In this article, we'll look at some tips that you can use to create a vintage bathroom of your choice in your home.

Choose your style

If you are looking to genuinely replicate a certain time period within your bathroom, then the easiest way to do this is to choose a design style from the past that you really enjoy and stick to it. This will help to create a cohesive look to your bathroom and will make it easy for visitors to your home see what type of bathroom you're going for.

The most popular type of retro bathroom is that looking to recreate the old Edwardian or Victorian bathrooms with traditional fixtures and fitting with exposed polished metal pipework. Because of the popularity of this time period, there are a lot of bathroom manufacturers catering to these styles, making easy to source things for your bathroom.

Art Deco is also seeing a rise in popularity in the bathroom, and with its geometric shapes and stepped-edge profiles, it provides a great way to create a decadent and glamorous look. At Luna Spas, we have the Trojan Art Deco Whirlpool Bath if you were looking for a luxury bath in this style. This single-ended bath shape is perfect for traditional heritage styled bathrooms and can be matched with traditional taps for the perfect finish.

Trojan Art Deco Luxury Whirlpool bath at LunaSpas.com

Invest in genuine antiques

For those with the appropriate budget, you may wish to consider investing in some authentic antiques from the time period in question. Salvage yards, restoration specialists, local and online auctions and charity shops are all places where you might find a unique item that would be perfect for your new retro bathroom. Freestanding roll top baths, decorative basins, and classic taps are perfect for adding traditional elegance and always look incredibly stylish.

It’s quite likely that you will pay more for genuine antique fittings so it’s also worth bearing in mind that they may not suit modern pipework, so make sure to seek advice from a professional first or include any improvements that might need to be made into your budget.

Go for modern retro

You don't have to break the bank by trawling through expensive auction houses and battling over the highest bid on a genuine artefact. Retro has always been fashionable so there are plenty of places where you can get modern furniture that has been designed to look old.

This is particularly the case if you enjoy the farmhouse style and are hoping to decorate your bathroom with that feeling in mind. There are many wooden vanity units, stools, cabinets, ladders, towel rails etc... that have been artificially aged or given a faux patina that costs a fraction of the price of the real thing.

Bathroom furniture made of pine is also a great option as it is usually quite cheap and can be painted, waxed or stained to look like an older, more expensive piece of furniture design - exactly what you want if you want a retro bathroom but are on a limited budget.

Traditional bathroom radiator and Towel Rail

Mix your styles

At the end of the day it's your bathroom, so you are free to do exactly what you want and exercise your creativity. There's no law that says you must choose one design style and rigidly stick to it without any kind of deviation.

If you like elements from different time periods, there's no reason why you can mix and match and come up with a bathroom that is completely unique. You could have a very modern bathroom, but introduce older elements such as traditional taps or a traditional towel rail simply as a nod to days gone by rather than a complete homage to it.

The key to completing the traditional look often comes down to your choice of finishes and materials, rather than the pieces themselves. Heritage paint colours and replica tiles, especially brick-style tiles are perfect for the traditional style. To enhance the look further introduce floral patterns, which can be in the form of wallpaper or tiles, for a more decorative touch.

Have a retro focal point

Often it just takes one element to give the impression that your bathroom has gone vintage. Everything could be modern, but one central focal point could be enough to deceive the eye and give that feeling of retro.

Top of many people's list is a freestanding, roll top bath due to the fact that they are very eye-catching, luxurious and are instantly associated with days gone by. Alternatively, you could consider an inset bath with steps leading up to the bath. The different levels and the step up into the bath is another simple way of evoking traditional grandeur without you having to deviate too much from a conventional bathroom.

There may also be areas in your bathroom that you want to draw attention to in an effort for a retro feel. Clever use of patterned or mosaic tiling is a simple way to do this, as is installing a decorative basin or a stylish shower enclosure. The more you stay away from clinical minimalism, the more you'll create a bathroom that has the aesthetic appeal of the traditional.